top water and other lure help

[mrbasser]

Since i started fishing i have always been successful with 6 inch worms, lizards and slug-o. These are the only things i catch fish on when i go.

I fish a small pond with little cover some vegitation and dark/murky water. Theres a dranage pipe at one end and theres a small collection of lillypads at one side.

Well my point is i need advice on how to use some topwater baits, because they never seem to be working and i also need adive on how to use spinner baits because they also dont work, any help would be appreacted.

[jglassguy]

its a tad early for top water but once the warmer weather + warmer water gets here any of the tradtional baits works get in a pond, pop-R, buzzbait, jitterbug,
I try to either paralell the bank at various distances or try to hit anything sticking up, or run it over any dropoffs of vegetation...any time of day too. many think the topwater bite is better in early morning or dust, and overcast.
You;ll proabably either see the bass explode on it or more likely just see it sucked under, wait just a sec and set the hook, so many new anglers jerk to fast as
soon as they see the bait disappear.
good luck
hope that helps

[ryan7261]

http://home.comcast.net/~rkrz/infoarch/fyitopwater.htm

READ THIS!

Robby.

[Bassin_Dude]

jb, he could be from a southern state, so the topwater could be on for him. i think jb and rob covered it. with a spinnerbait, i like to throw them into cover(i.e. lilly pads, grass, structure, anything) and reel them out of it. change the retrieve up till you find what the fish want. and if you are up north, then work it slowly in. also cast it parallel to the shore, or out in the middle, either way. good luck.

I have had great success with Zoom Horny Toad.
To start I use a Spinning reel with Med. Heavy action Rod. I spool the reel with Stren Super Braid 14lbs. I use an off set hook without any weight and hook the Horny Toad Texas rig style.
Here in Arkansas on the lake I fish we have a water plant that growes in shallow water along with regular pond moss. I cast the Horny Toad into the weeds and swim it back just like a buzz bait. The Horny toad doesn't get hung in the weeds or moss. Swim it slow over the moss and be ready for the strike. When you get a strike just wait until you feel the fish before you set the hook.
The braided line will cut the moss and weeds better then mono line.
Good luck.

[jglassguy]

I know, ya can't figure those critters out
just when ya think its too cold for a top water bite
some old guy comes about the point throwing a buzz bait and hits a 4 pounder right out of the tree ya just picked over lmao...... thats the way it goes..live n learn

[ahlkajflakjj]

topwater for me only works good in the early morning. the summertime is the best for topwater......so just wait it out for a month or so more.

[hookonfish]

a buzzbait is an awesome pond fishing lure. i've caught fish anywhere with it in a pond. it depends on what size of pond it is but on a little pond i haven't had much luck with a spinnerbait because there is not big shad and other baitfish in ponds like lakes. if u try a spinnerbait u might try double willow blades unless it's muddy. a shallow running crankbait has been dynamite for me in ponds one that runs 2 or 3 ft.

[Bassin_Dude]

theres a solution for that hart, those small booyah spinnerbaits, they can be the golden ticket ;D

[hookonfish]

probably or a miniking

[Slayem9]

Depending on the water temperature and stage of weed growth in spring, topwater lures can be explosive. In the northeast, the water temp is 48-54 and the water high from too much rain. There are few shallow weeds growing, but the water is tanin stained from 70% wetland rot. Things will change dramatically in the next week or so as prespawners start to venture in shallow water for possible nesting sites.

One of the best topwater conditions locally are 55-60 degree water, mid-emergent weeds and partly cloudy to partly sunny skies. Cast a spook or pop R way back into 2-3' of water and work the crap out of either lure with long pauses every 4th or 5th jerk. Watch for the torpedo sign - a moving water bulge that starts to make a bee-line towards your lure.

You'll get the timing down for the jerk & pause by experimentation. When topwater is on, it's usually on in similar shallow areas. There's nothing like it!

As you say, worms can be jerked on top. Soft plastics that have produced every year on spring prespawners include 9-11" worms, 7-9" lizards and 5" craw-worms, 7" Brush Hogs and Hoo Daddy creature baits.
I also like to put a small in-line forward of a large soft plastic lure to simulate a bait fish being chased by a snake or creature.

Let's not forget the 5" jerkworm - ( Senko or any good knockoff). Unlike worms and lizards with curl tails, jerkworms have th same walk the dog action as a Zara Spook, except with a whip. The water commotion is the same, except just subsurface. Letting the bait sink between a series of jerks, may have bass picking the worm off the bottom and carrying it away!

After the spawn, cloudy or rainy days can be perfect for topwater rats and black buzzbaits (with black trailer added). The key is waiting a second for the fish to pull the bait down and then setting the hook, while taking up all slack! With all topwaters, waiting is crucial, but waiting too long is disasterous.

If your not fishing from a boat or tube, your limited in the number of areas you can try. Early am is not always the best time for top lures. Seasonal and daily water conditions dictate best times and locations and I've caught fish all day long in the rain, during summer, on topwaters.

You never know, but always carry one along.

Sam

[mrbasser]

I have a 17 ft canoe and i was wondering if it would be worth it to take it to the pond i fish because people i fish with think we would catch double the amount but i was wondering if fishing from a boat makes any differnce or if its just a waste of my time to carry it out to the pond.

[zman]

IMO it can make a big difference fishing from a boat.

[macgyver]

[quote author=mjr link=board=news;num=1113147001;start=0#11 date=04/12/05 at 09:26:34]I have a 17 ft canoe and i was wondering if it would be worth it to take it to the pond i fish because people i fish with think we would catch double the amount but i was wondering if fishing from Â*a boat makes any differnce or if its just a waste of my time to carry it out to the pond. [/quote]

Can you cast to every part of the pond from the shoreline? I doubt it unless it's a very small pond. A boat is by far a better way to fish.

Lizards

[Bassin_Dude]

plus alot of times, especially when there is wind, the bass will be facing shore waiting for something to be blown in. and with a boat, you can cast to shore.